Hyundai to hand Waymo its first Ioniq 5 robotaxis from Georgia in Q4 2026
Hyundai will start handing Ioniq 5 robotaxis to Waymo in the fourth quarter of 2026, with the vehicles built in Georgia and set to support robotaxi services outside the U.S. from as early as 2027.
- Fourth quarter of 2026
- October 4, 2024
- As early as 2027
What Happened
Hyundai's first Ioniq 5 robotaxis will reach Waymo in the fourth quarter of 2026. The cars are assembled at HMGMA in Georgia and, according to Hyundai, rely on a local supply chain while drawing on the wider group for manufacturing, design, software and finance. The handover is the point at which a program first sketched out in 2024 starts placing hardware on the road.
Waymo and Hyundai said in October 2024 that they had formed a multi-year strategic partnership. The first phase called for Waymo's sixth-generation autonomous technology, the Waymo Driver, to be fitted to the all-electric Ioniq 5 SUV, with the cars intended for Waymo's passenger service as the program matured. Hyundai now says the same vehicles will let robotaxi services expand internationally from as early as 2027.
Hyundai and Waymo announce a multi-year strategic partnership.
Hyundai sets out deliveries and robotaxi targets at its CEO Investor Day.
Hyundai hands the initial autonomous Ioniq 5 vehicles to Waymo.
The vehicles are to support robotaxi services outside the United States.
Why this matters
The deliveries turn a partnership announced in 2024 into a defined vehicle program. Hyundai says the Ioniq 5 robotaxis can help Waymo take its service into international markets from as early as 2027.
Terms in This Story
- robotaxi
- A self-driving vehicle used to carry paying passengers without a human driver at the wheel.
- Waymo One
- Waymo's passenger service for rides in autonomous vehicles.
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